 |
| The flags of Switzerland and Kosovo at the Kosovo embassy in Pristina (archive) |
Kosovo now fulfills the conditions of security, border control, and migration management that enable its citizens to be exempt from visas. This is the reason why the European Parliament and the Council of the EU approved, on April 19, 2023, a regulation that puts an end to the visa requirement for Kosovars holding biometric passports who wish to travel to the external Schengen area and stay there for up to 90 days. This is a development of the Schengen acquis, which Switzerland, a member of this area, must approve.
The Federal Council puts an end to the visa requirement for Kosovars. A visa is still required for engaging in gainful employment.
According to the Swiss newspaper in Albanian, Le Canton27.ch, the visa requirement will still be in place for Kosovars who wish to engage in gainful employment. It should be noted that Kosovar citizens can only work in Switzerland if they are qualified and if their prospective employer has been unable to find suitable staff either in the Swiss labor market, or in the EU or EFTA member states. The usual conditions of work and wages must also be respected.